NYFF52 REVIEW: JAUJA

BY MATEO MORENO

To fully explain JAUJA, the new uber-experimental film by Argentinian filmmaker Lisandro Alonso it would take a man who was...well... Lisandro Alonso. Made up of increasingly beautiful landscapes, scant traces of dialogue, and visions of an earth who's terrain is so mountainous and ongoing, it almost feels like another world. It's the first time Alonso has worked with a co-screenwriter (poet Fabian Casas) and he sets his entire film on the shoulders of Viggo Mortensen and the round bordered 4:3 frame every sequence is set against. It's an unnamed period in time, late 1800's so it seems, and starts off introducing Mortensen's Captain Dinesen and his 15 year old daughter Ingeborg (Viilbjork Agger Malling). He's joined up with a Spanish troupe ready to make this part of the world "civilized land." One night, Inga takes off into the darkness with her soldier boyfriend, Dinesen sets off on his own to find her and bring her back home. Though where home is may be a question all on its own, as they are mainly drifters, heading from one place to the next. From here on, little dialogue is spoken (save for a few mumbles and yells here and there) as we follow Mortensen from landscape to landscape on his quest to find his young daughter.

I'll admit that there is much of JAUJA that I didn't quite get, or even like. For the most part, the entire middle section of the film truly tried my patience. But just as I was ready to give up along comes a strange and unhinged third act that pulled me back in and even brought shades of "David Lynch" to mind. Director Lisandro Alonso is not making a movie for the masses here, and he doesn't care to. Instead he's crafted a film that's beautiful, confusing, pretentious, and beautiful. To say that it all makes sense after one viewing would be a lie. But should you reward the film with your patience, and I'm on the fence if you should, you will be treated to a subtle, wonderful performance by Mortensen and a dizzying of an ending. Just make sure you've had eight hours of sleep before you sit down in a darkened theatre to experience it.

VERDICT: ON THE FENCE

Written by Lisandro Alonso & Fabian Casas Directed by Lisandro Alonso Starring Viggo Mortensen, Viilbjork Agger Malling. CONTENT ADVISORY: Adult Situations, Adult Language, Brief Nudity

BOTTOM LINE: JAUJA is original, for better or for worse. Head in with an open mind, or don't head in at all.

NYFF52 REVIEW: THE PRINCESS OF FRANCE

BY MATEO MORENO

If you have ever wondered what a 70 minute Spanish language lighting fast interpretation of a radio play version and shades of the plot of Love’s Labor Lost spilling into everyday life feels like, well you are in for a treat! For Director Matías Piñeiro has centered his latest piece, THE PRINCESS OF FRANCE, on the Bard’s classic romantic comedy. Set around a theatre troupe’s desire to prepare a radio version of Love, we follow several different characters: Víctor (Julián Larquier Tellarini), his girlfriend Paula (Agustina Muñoz), lover Ana (María Villar), an actress Natalia (Romina Paula), and several other not quite notable characters. Everyone seems to want Víctor and the time on screen is split up between rapid fire sequences with them, recordings of the plays, and a very dull futball game that ends abruptly. Because why not?

The fact that The Princess of France want to pull off so much in such a short amount of time is admirable, but it fails miserably at each turn. The film’s dialogue is rapid fire, too rapid fire, and even for someone who’s accustomed to seeing Spanish films with subtitles (which I am), it was often impossible to distinguish exactly what was going on. You also should have a VERY clear idea of the exact plot of Love’s Labor Lost, because it’s as if the film has dropped you into Act 4 without seeing Acts 1-3. Perhaps other will enjoy the absurdity of this experiment, but I sadly did not. Where farcical comedy could have reigned supreme (as it does in all of the Bard’s comedies), here only frustration grows. And grows. And grows. Save yourself and simply read the classic comedy. It’s a wonderful read, and though it will take you more than 70 minutes to do so, you will have much more to account for at the end. Guaranteed.

VERDICT: SKIP IT

Written and Directed by Matías Piñeiro Starring Julián Larquier Tellarini, Agustina Muñoz, María Villar Romina Paula. CONTENT ADVISORY: Adult Situations, Adult Langage, Brief Nudity

BOTTOM LINE: I can't recommend THE PRINCESS OF FRANCE on any level. Sadly, an all around disappointment, unless you're looking for a nice 70 minute nap.

NYFF52 REVIEW: '71

BY MATEO MORENO

Set against the backdrop of 24 hours in 1971 Belfast, ’71 is a powerful and riveting account of one soldier’s journey into hell and back. Jack O’Connell portrays Gary Hook, a young British soldier sent with his comrades to Belfast on his first mission. They are to arrive with police troops as they search for guns in houses and are there to keep the peace. At first, they are set up wearing riot gear and helmets until their commanding officer asks them all not to wear any gear in fear of scaring the local citizens. Instead, they are to just wear their uniforms and berets, armed with guns. This way, they will appear less threatening and, he hopes, will portray a less hostile feeling towards the locals. As they arrive in town, things go south very quickly, with police beating citizens in the street and protesters go toe to toe with the armed military. Chaos ensues, and the soldiers are forced to vacate the madness, unknowingly leaving behind Gary and another soldier as they are chasing down a boy who has stolen one of their guns. After the second soldier is killed, Gary is left on his own, in the middle of a very politically torn Northern Ireland, and must find a way to get back to his base and survive the night.

Director Yann Demange takes off immediately with a visual and kinetic energy that thrusts the action forward and never lets you go. You feel trapped alongside Jack as he searches for people willing to help him and figure out who he can and can’t trust. Gregory Burke’s screenplay bristles with strong, exciting, and harrowing dialogue that matches the intensity of Demange’s action perfectly. Jack O’Connell (Starred Up, Skins) is fantastic here as the young soldier in dire need of help. He has a mixture of confusion, terror, and drive that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Much of his part requires little dialogue and a lot of emotion, and he handles it expertly. As things go from bad to worse for Gary, we are introduced to more and more problems from within. Not only does he have to find people inside the town to trust, but there’s also the IRA as well as his own police force working against him. Two of his fellow officers are trying to find him and bring him to safety. Much tension lies in whether they will find him before everyone else does? ’71 is a powerful reminder of the conflict in Northern Ireland and a troubling reminder of the more things change; the more they stay the same.

VERDICT: A Must See

Written by Gregory Burke Directed by: Yann Demange Starring Jack O’Connell, Sam Reid, Sean Harris, Charlie Murphy, Barry Keoghan. CONTENT ADVISORY: Adult Language, Graphic Violence

BOTTOM LINE: Transfixing, powerful, and riveting. ’71 is not a movie you will easily shake.